


Rumors

by Goober



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Awkwardness, Fluff, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-11
Updated: 2015-07-11
Packaged: 2018-04-08 17:53:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4314720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Goober/pseuds/Goober
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In all honesty he shouldn’t have been surprised when Petra all but tackled him at the beginning of second period. “Is it true?!” Excitement lit up her face, amber eyes glistening as she held onto his shoulders, “Is it really true? Are you and Erwin dating?!”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rumors

**Author's Note:**

> ‘someone starts a rumor that we’re dating so let’s turn the tables’ au
> 
> another highschool au that no one asked for but someone delivered anyway

In hindsight it was probably because Erwin sat with him at lunch. No, that was _definitely_ it. Nowhere else had their circles crossed all throughout school life; Erwin did sports, Levi was in theatre, though they both were pretty much straight-a students they didn’t share classes together, their personal styles were different, and even their neighborhoods (despite being minutes apart) were total opposites.. The only times they saw one another was at lunch and on the bus, and maybe a few after school projects and hangouts. Levi’s friends, Petra and Nanaba, were either friends with or dating Erwin’s friends, Hanji and Mike. So the six of them decided to group up for lunch sometime at the beginning of the year.

So in all honesty he shouldn’t have been surprised when Petra all but tackled him at the beginning of second period. “Is it true?!” Excitement lit up her face, amber eyes glistening as she held onto his shoulders, “Is it really true? Are you and Erwin dating?!”

Levi blinked at her, mind slow to process what was happening. He had really only just woken up halfway through study hall last class, it was way too early for jokes like this. “What the fuck are you talking about, Pet?”

“You and Erwin,” she repeated, bouncing on the balls of her feet, inching taller than the short man with each step. “I heard from someone that you two have been dating for about three months now. Is it true? Why would you keep this from us?” She was doing her best wounded puppy expression but it wasn’t enough to save her.

“Are you _fucking kidding me?_ ” He snapped, shoving out of her grasp, “Like hell I’m dating him. Why would I date anyone without telling my best friend?” He folded his arms in front of his chest and sighed angrily, “Goddamn, Petra, I thought you knew me better by now.” They’d been friends for about six years now, and he would have wagered the were best friends at this point - but current annoyance was casting temporary doubt on that.

“Oh come on, Levi,” she nudged at him, completely ignorant to the coldness he was giving her. “I don’t think it’s that far fetched. You two _just_ met this year and you’re already pretty close, besides, you both look at each other when you don’t think anyone is looking.” She shrugged and gave a small smirk, “So if you’re not dating … getting this defensive about it can really only mean that you _want_ to.”  
“That’s the dumbest thing I’ve heard all day, and it’s been an entire day of bullshit so far.” He growled at her, narrowing his eyes. “Like I would date some idiot jock like Erwin fucking Smith. Besides, he’s probably straight - and _why the fuck_ am I even defending this to you? Go sit down already.”

He was spared the trouble of having to argue any more by the very annoyed calculus teacher wandering into the room. “Alright, alright, everyone take your seats,” she said, starting a problem with quick strokes on the whiteboard. Petra wandered back without fuss but he knew this conversation was far from over. Levi spent the rest of that period ignoring the multiple eyes he could feel on his back.

 

“You _smell_ like him, man,” Mike sighed, tapping his nose with a knowing expression on his face. “Do you really think this rumor is far-fetched? It’s really no secret you’re one of the few people Levi actually likes, and you two are pretty good friends at this point.”

“I sit with him on the bus and yes this rumor is far-fetched. For one two people can just be friends without it being romantic, and secondly-” Erwin was cut short when he realized his whispering was getting heated and had drawn the teacher’s attention away from the board.

The same period a hallway down, Erwin was having the very same argument with Mike that Levi was having with Petra. Erwin had been on the receiving end of rumors before, mostly middle school drama, but never anything that both spread like wildfire and simultaneously had someone ask if he was straight or not. Actually, he learned about the rumor when Mike overheard someone on the basketball team asking if they thought Erwin was checking them out in the locker room in past gym classes.

“ _Secondly_ I’m not sure Levi even does relationships. He’s always so closed off, I’m surprised the rumor wasn’t about you and me.” Erwin pressed his palm against his forehead, fighting back a growing migraine that may or may not be contributing to the heat he felt on his face.

Mike chuckled lowly and took a few notes before sniffing. “But you don’t deny that you’d have romantic feelings for Levi. You’re very carefully dancing around that part of the rumor.” Knowing eyes slid towards Erwin and the man found himself angrily erasing an error from his own notes.

“So _what_ if I did, not that I _do_. That’s not the point. I thought you were going to be on my side about this.” Even when frustrated Erwin kept a cool head, but that didn't stop him from feeling the pangs of betrayal at Mike.

Mike only shrugged, “You don’t seem too opposed by the idea, which means you’ve thought about it before. Since you haven’t yet maybe you should. Erwin you were saying just yesterday how you wish you had what Nana and I have. You deserve happiness, and if seeing how things go with that small fry would make you happy, why are you fighting it?”

Erwin didn’t have an answer for this, simply choosing silence as he took down some more notes about molecular bonding. Then suddenly he groaned and put his face in his hands, fingers pushing up on his swooped bangs while Mike looked at him questioningly.

“Shit, Levi’s going to be so mad. Is there _any way_ he hasn’t heard about this?”

Mike laughed quietly into his his hand, very aware that being any louder than his somewhat choking sounds would draw the class’s attention to them. “Nope. Best case scenario he’s heard first period and has had enough time to think logically. Worst case … he’s going to hear about it soon and will _not_ be pleased.”

“You don’t think Levi will think I started the rumor, do you?” Honestly he was more afraid of this than anything else. Their relationship had been a delicate balance and if Levi thought their friendship was leading up to some stupid prank on him it would shatter everything. Erwin could only hope the other was smart enough to realize he wouldn’t do something like that.

“I don’t know,” Mike admitted, looking up at the clock. “You’ve got about an hour before you have to face the music. Think of what you’re going to do before then.”

Erwin was going to ask what he meant by that but Mike had turned his head away, and was pointedly ignoring his general direction. The blond leaned back in his chair and sighed. An entire hour to figure out what he was going to do. Yeah, no pressure.

 

Erwin barely entered the cafeteria before a strong fist closed around the front of his shirt and promptly dragged him back out, and down a hallway adjacent to the bathrooms. “Smith,” the short black haired boy growled, teeth clenching in a poor attempt to hide his frustration. Back pushed against one of the walls, he was met face to face with Levi who leaned against the opposite wall, and crossed his arms over his chest. “Fucking talk.”

“I’m sorry,” he said, eyes never leaving Levi’s face, “I really don’t know why. Someone obviously wants to make us uncomfortable.”

“ _Obviously,_ ” Levi sighed, pressing two fingers into the growing lines between his eyes, closing them for a moment. Erwin couldn’t help but want to pat the other kid’s head, but he figured doing this would reignite the slowly dying fire in Levi. “Well, whatever, can’t do shit about it now.”

“I doubt that this is helping,” Erwin gestured to the otherwise empty hallway around them.

“Oh, piss off,” but there was no bite, a smirk worming its way onto Levi’s face.

“Actually I’ve been thinking about what we can do about this.”

“I’m listening.”

“Go on a date with me.”

Levi’s eyes snapped open, hand falling back down to his side. His smirk had fallen and was rapidly replaced with something between surprise, confusion, and exasperation. “You’re fucking kidding me,” expression shifted quickly to anger as his lip curled upward, “if this is some kind of joke, I’m not in the mood.”

Erwin shook his head, raising a hand slowly to pacify the smaller man for a second. “Hear me out,” he offered, waiting for Levi’s body language to shift away from being defensive before continuing. “Whoever started this rumor has one of two things in mind; humiliation or some kind of wish. They either want to see us get pissed at one another for having a rumor started about us, because of our differences. _Or_ they really want us to be together,” Erwin shrugged, “the way I see it, one date won’t kill either of us. And we can turn the tables on whatever weirdo decided to start it in the first place.”

Levi was silent for another moment before shoving his crossed arms against his chest. “Aren’t you straight or something? I’m not interested in fake dating someone because he thinks it’ll be a funny story.”

“I’m into guys, too.” Erwin said easily.

Levi snorted, “No shit,” then gave a small smirk. “Your reputation as some charming asshole jock would be on the line, seeing someone like me. Are you really prepared to throw that away on this idea?”  
It was Erwin’s turn to smile, face scrunching as he laughed. “I think my reputation as a charming asshole jock is why I’m not worried. Levi, if you wanted to, we could go out tonight.”

“Don’t fucking ask me out so casually, god,” Levi made a small gagging sound, pushing away from the wall. “You owe me for putting up with whatever shit Petra and the others will give me for this - what she _has_ given me for this.” Then after a small moment of thought said, “Pick me up at six; be late and you lose your shot, Eyebrows.”

“Deal,” Erwin smiled, unable to help the growing grin. He didn’t even care that Levi had rolled his eyes, a small bit of tension lead him to believe there was no heat behind the action. “Six it is then.” Levi nodded and turned, obviously heading back towards the cafeteria, and Erwin would have followed if a hand hadn’t smacked him dead in the chest.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Going back with you?” Erwin raised an eyebrow, confusion evident in his voice.

“Not a chance, dumbass. Wait a minute will you, I don’t need _more rumors_ showing up today.” A thin brow quirked up and it was then that he understood.

“Right, right,” Erwin waved him off, making a show of pointing out that he was no longer following as Levi turned back to glare at him.

The moment Levi’s head of black hair passed the corner, effectively moving from Erwin’s sight, the tall blond allowed himself to smile widely. “I’m so fucked,” he said in response to the growing fondness he could feel clenching in his chest, letting out a deep breath.


End file.
